Magnetic toy train



Feb. 8, 1949. c. R. sHoRTT MAGNETIC TOY TRA-IN Filed March 13, A194'? N"Patented Feb. 8, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE MAGNETIC TOY TRAIN Charles R. Shortt, Stamford Township, Niagara Falls, ntario, Canada Application March 13, 1947, Serial No. 734,307

1 Claim. l

The principal object of this invention is to provide a toy train for little folks to play with in which the several units, such as the engine, coal car and other cars, may be easily and quickly coupled together so that the several units will follow the movement of the locomotive as it is moved about by the child over a smooth surface.

A further object is to provide such a coupling means which will be rigidly attached to each unit at both ends and will provide a sturdy and reliable coupling device which will not be susceptible to fracture and breaking away.

The principal feature of the invention consists in placing permanent magnets of simple form at each end of each mobile vehicle with a north pole exposed at one end and a south pole exposed at the other end of the vehicle.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is an elevational view of a miniature train of railroad vehicles shown equipped with my improved idea of coupler means. i

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal part elevation and part sectional view of a car shown equipped with my improvement.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view through the line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective detail of a preferred form of permanent magnet to be used as herein shown and described.

In the manufacture of toys for little folks to play with the use of plastics has enabled very realistic miniature vehicles to be produced with which a child may play on a table or on a floor.

sult I place a small permanent magnetic bar A Y on the underside of the engine or car structure between the representation of the forward wheels and also centrally of the cab or the platform or the body on the opposite end of each vehicle.

These oblong shaped magnetic bars may be embedded in a suitable plastic cement or ller B placed within the car or other vehicle structure so as to securely grip and bind the car structure and the edge C' of the bar magnet.

In placing these bar magnets it is desirable and important that each magnet shall be placed so that one of its ends will protrude beyond any other portion of the car or vehicle structure at either end, and in placing the magnets in position it is important that the magnets be placed 2 With a north pole protruding at one end and a south pole protruding at the other end.

With each vehicle provided with a magnet at either end presenting north and south poles it will be seen that when one vehicle is placed adjacent to another with a south pole magnet projection adjacent to a north pole magnet projection on the other vehicle, the magnets will attract each other and be drawn together.

This magnetic attraction is found to be quite strong and will enable a train of a number of cars or vehicles to be assembled so that when the engine is moved about over a smooth surface, such as a floor or table or glass plate, by a child grasping the leading vehicle, the other vehicles will follow in a train.

A feature of importance in connection with this invention is that the magnets are each provided with end surfaces having bevelled corners D or the ends of the magnets may be rounded. This enables the vehicles to turn and swing the other vehicle with a bending movement such as would be provided in a pivot coupling connection.

It will be readilyunderstood that the magnets may be moulded directly into the vehicle instead of being cemented in to vehicles already formed or they may be secured in any desirable Y manner to accomplish the result herein set forth.

WhatI claim as my invention is:

A toy vehicle having a permanent magnetic bar secured thereto at each end thereof, one of said bar magnets having its north pole projecting beyond the end of the vehicle, the other of said bar magnets having its south pole projecting beyond the opposite end of the vehicle, each of said projecting ends having bevelled corners defining a narrow central flat end coupling surface to permit adjacent vehicles to be coupled in a straight train and defining at coupling surfaces either side of and angularly inclined to said central coupling surface to permit adjacent vehicles to be coupled in angular relation, the common edges joining the central and angularly inclined coupling surfaces providing fulcra at the discontinuities of the coupling surfaces to permit coupled vehicles on the turning of one vehicle to swing abruptly and without dislcdgement between in-line position and angularly inclined relation.

CHARLES R. SHORTT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,226,287 Miller Dec. 24, 1940 2,249,454 Brake July 15, 1941 

